Wall or ceiling panel



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 *I I l l l I I I4 I I I I k I I I. I I I l l I I r l II I l I I I I I March 10, .1953 A. c. MARSH, SR

WALL OR CEILING PANEL Filed 'Aug. 11, 1950 Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE WALL R CEILING PANEL Alvin C. Marsh, Sr., NewPhiladelphia, Ohio Application August 11, 1950, Serial No. 178,770

4 Claims.

The invention relates to fabricatedwall board panels'for use uponinterior walls and ceilings, andmore particularly to a panel of thischaracter constructed of pressed fibre. board, or similar material, andhaving an enamelled or plastic finished surface producing a wall boardsuch as commonly known to the trade as Marlite or the like.

In the past it has been customary to finish interior walls and ceilingswith such fibre wall boards orpanels, by attaching the wall boards bymeans of a mastic cement, metal clips, splines, etc., such means beingused to fasten the wall boards or panels tightly to such wall or ceilingsurfaces.

It is also customary, in attaching such wall boards or panels to a wallor ceiling, to use metal or plastic strips or molding to attach andsecurely retain the edge portions of the wall boards or panels to thewalls or ceiling.

This method of attaching these wall boards or panels is expensive inthat it requires considerable labor, as well as the additional expenseof the attaching strips, which in themselves detract from the appearanceof the finished wall.

Furthermore, since it takes some considerable time for the mastic cementto thoroughly set and dry, props are required for holding the wallboards or panels tightly pressed against the ceiling and in some casesthe side walls, andthese props must remain in place for quite some timeafter the job is completed, thus preventing immediate use of the room orrooms, to the walls and/or ceiling of which the wall boards or panelshave been applied.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a fabricated wall orceiling panel which may be quickly and easily attached by concealednails, thus obviating the necessity of using attaching strips ormolding, metal clips, splines, etc., and dispensing with the necessityof providing props, or other pressure means, where mastic or cementisused, so that when the last panel has been nailed in place the room isready for use.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a fabricated panelwhich may be attached directly to the studding or joists orfurring'strips, thus dispensing with the labor and expense required forfirst constructing a wall surface to attach the wall boards or panelsthereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a fabricated panel,formed of two spaced sheets of such fibre'wall board or other'suitablematerial, havinga core or frame'of wood, pressed fibre board, or thelike,- interposed therebetween.

A further object is to provide such a panelin which the core or frame isso constructed as to provide a, tongue around two adjoining edges of thepanel and a corresponding groove around the other two edges thereof.

A still further object is to provide a panel of this character in whichthe front and back sheets of the panel are both preferably coated withenamel or the like, so as to balance the panel and prevent warping ordistortion thereof due to moisture or temperature changes.

Another object of the improvementis to provide apanel of this characterin which the joints between adjacent panels are so constructed that theywill compensate for expansion and contrac tion.

Still another object is to provide a panel of this character which willbe floating when attached to the wall, as the panels are anchored onlyat the tongue edges.

A further object is to provide such a fabricated panel in which the.inner or back sheet of the panel is of less width and less length thanthe outer or front sheet of the panel.

A still further object is to provide a panel of the character referredto in which the edges of the outer sheet of the panel, adjacent to thetongues, are bevelled, and the other two edges thereof are of V-shape,so as to provide a neat joint, of pleasing appearance and at the sametime compensating for expansion and contraction without materiallychanging the appearance of the joint.

Another object is to provide a hollow core or frame for the panel was toprovide an air space for insulation, as well as to decrease the weightof the panel.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from thedrawings and following description, or which may be later referred to,may be attained by constructing the improved panel in the mannerhereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a panel constructed in accordance withthe invention;

Fig. 2 an elevation of the panel with the front sheet removed, showingthe hollow core or frame;

Fig. 3 an enlarged, transverse, sectional view of the panel, taken as onthe line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 a fragmentary, sectional, perspective view through a jointbetween two adjacent panels; an a Fig. 5 a fragmentary, sectionalview-through 3 a joint between two adjacent panels, showing the mannerin which the joint compensates for expansion and contraction.

Referring now more particularly to a preferred embodiment of theinvention, which is illustrated in the drawings, in which similarnumerals refer to similar parts throughout, each panel may be formed ofan outer or front sheet, indicated generally at It, and inner or backsheet, indicated generally at H, and a hollow frame or core, indicatedgenerally at It.

The panels are square or rectangular in shape, preferably of greaterlength than width as best shown in Fig. l, and may be of any desireddimension suitable for ease in handling and attaching to the ceiling orwalls.

Both the front sheet In and the back sheet H are preferably formed ofhard pressed fibre board, or other suitable composition or material. Thefront surface i 3 of the front sheet I is preferably finished with anyrequired number of coats of enamel or plastic of any desired color orpattern, in the'manner of the well-known Marlite wall boards or similarmaterials.

The back surface M of the back sheet H is also preferably provided withone or more coats of enamel, plastic or the like. It has been found thatby forming the back and front sheets of similar material, and coatingthe outer surfaces of both, gives stability to the panel, keeping itstraight and preventing it from warping, under moisture or temperaturechanges.

The core or frame, indicated generally at I2, is preferably hollow, asbest shown in Fig. 2, and is preferably made of wood in order todecrease the weight of the finished panel, although pressed fibre boardor other suitable material may be used, if desired.

This frame includes the side rails 15 and it and the end rails I! andit. As clearly shown in the drawings, the rails l5 and I! extendoutwardly beyond the adjacent edges of the front sheet Ill, and arepreferably slightly tapered, forming tongues l9, while the rails l6 andI8 terminate inwardly from the adjacent edges of the front sheet l0,forming grooves 20.

The side and end edges of the front sheet l9,

adjacent to the tongues I 9, are beveled, as indicated at 2i, while theopposite side and end edges of the front sheet, adjacent to the grooves20, are preferably V-shape, as indicated at 22. The side and end edgesof the back sheet ll, adjacent to the tongues I9, may be substantiallythe same distance from the edge of the tongues as the bevelled edges 21of the front sheet, as indicated at 23, while the opposite side and endedges of the back sheet terminate inwardly from the V-shape edges of thefront sheet, as indicated at 24.

Nail holes, as indicated at 25, are preferably provided in the tonguesi9, at spaced intervals, these nail holes, as best shown in Figs. 4 and5, being located close to the bevelled edges 2! of the front sheet, andare preferably located at an angle, as best shown in Fig. 5, so as topass through the adjacent edge portion of the back sheet I.

For the purpose of strengthening and reinforcing the panel, any desirednumber and arrangement of separating members 26 may be provided in thehollow core or frame. It should be understood that this core or frame isrigidly and permanently attached to the front and back sheets Ill and Hrespectively, by any suitable adhesive material, which may be appliedunder heat or pressure in conventional manner.

The fabricated wall or ceiling panel thus formed is provided along twoadjacent edges with tongues and along the two opposite edges withgrooves, the grooves being of greater depth than the tongues, as bestshown in Figs. 4 and 5, in order to compensate for expansion andcontraction and to provide tight joints between the front sheets ofadjacent panels.

The panel so constructed is of a size, shape and width which permits itbeing easily handled and attached to a ceiling and wall with a minimumof labor.

Since the'improved panel does not require any mastic or cement forattaching it, no plaster or other wall surface is necessary, the panelsbeing adapted to be nailed directly to the studding or joists or furringstrips, so as to obviate the labor and expense of providing a wallsurface.

In attaching the panels, the tongue edge of one panel, as indicated at Ain Figs. 4 and 5, is located against a furring strip, stud or the like,as indicated at 2? in said figures, and screw-nails, or the like, asindicated at 28, are driven through the angular nail holes 25 of thetongue and into the furring strip or studding, a nail set or the likebeing preferably used to countersink the heads of the nails into thetongue [9.

The grooved edge of an adjacent panel B, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, isthen pushed directly against the tongue edge of the panel A, as shown insaid figures, the tongue 19- being received within the groove 28, andthe V-shape edge 22, of the front sheet it of the panel B, contactingthe adjacent bevelled edge 2!, of the front sheet lil of the panel Aconcealing the screw nails or other fastening means, as shown in Figs. 4and 5.

This provides a simple and efiicient joint between panels, which has apleasing appearance and which firmly secures the grooved edge of thepanel B, at the same time permitting it to float toward and from thepanel A due to expansion and contraction.

It will be obvious that with this construction of panel, each panel issupported at its grooved edges by the adjacent edge portions of the backsheet resting upon and supported by the tongues of the next adjacentpanel.

In the event of expansion of the panels, since the tongue edges onlythereof are anchored, the grooved edge portions are free to move towardor from the next adjacent panels, and as such expansion takes place theV-shape edge 22 of the front sheet of each panel will ride upon thebevelled edge 2! of the front sheet of the next adjacent panel.

Such movement is shown greatly exaggerated in Fig. 5. The V-shape edgeportion of the front sheet of the panel B is shown slightly flexed, asit rides upwardly upon the bevelled edge 2| of the front sheet of thepanel A.

Although in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the improvedpanel has been described as formed of sheets of fibre board, it shouldbe understood that any other suitable material may be used, such aslaminated plastic, metal or other material.

From the above it will be evident that the invention produce astructurally well-designed panel which is simple, efficient and easilyhandled and installed, the hollow core or frame reducing the weight ofthe panel and providing an air space therein for insulation; the panelbeing properly balanced, so as to give .it stability and keep itstraight and prevent warping; and the panel, when installed, beinganchored only at one side edge and one end edge, so that the oppositeedges thereof are floating or have free movement, providing forexpansion and contraction of the panels, which is very important wherefibre board or similar material is used.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and described an embodiment thereof, but Idesire to have it understood that within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A fabricated wall and ceiling panel comprising similar front and backsheets formed of material of similar coefficient of expansion andcontraction, and a core interposed between the front and back sheets andrigidly bonded thereto, said core extending beyond the front and backsheets along two adjacent edges of the panel to form tongues and beinginset from the other two edges to form grooves, said grooves being ofgreater depth than the tongues, a bevelled edge on the front sheetadjacent to each tongue, the front sheet being of greater length andwidth than the back sheet and extending outwardly from the core beyondthe back sheet at each grooved edge of the panel and terminating in aV-shape edge, said panel being adapted to be engaged edge to edge withsimilar panels so that the tongues will be received in the grooves ofadjacent panels and spaced from the bottoms of the grooves and theopposed edges of the back :sheets of adjacent panels will be spacedapart and the V-shape edges of the front sheet will contact the bevellededge of the front sheets of adjacent panels, said V-shape edge portionsof the front sheet being sufficiently flexible so that expansion of thepanels will cause said V-shape edges to ride upward upon the bevellededges of adjacent panels.

2. In a fabricated wall and ceiling panel as defined in claim 1,fastening means located through the tongues at adjacent edge portions ofthe back sheet of each panel and adapted to be concealed between groovedportions of similar panels.

3. The combination of similar fabricated wall and ceiling panels engagededge to edge, each panel comprising similar frontlgand back sheetsformed of material of similar coefficient of expansion and contraction,and :a core interposed between the front and back sheets and rigidlybonded thereto, said core extending beyond the front and back sheetsalong two adjacent edges of the panel to form tongues andbeing insetfrom the other two edges to form grooves, said grooves being of greaterdepth than the tongues, a bevelled edge on the front sheet adjacent toeach tongue, the front sheet extending outwardly from the core beyondthe back sheet at each grooved edge of the panel and terminating in aV-shape edge contacting the bevelled edge of an adjacent panel and beingsufficiently flexible to ride thereon, the opposed edges of the backsheets of adjacent panels being spaced apart, the tongues being locatedin the grooves of adjacent panels and spaced from the bottoms of thegrooves, so that expansion of the panels will cause said V-shape edgeportions of the front sheets to flex sufficiently to ride upward uponthe bevelled edges of adjacent panels.

4. In the combination of similar fabricated wall and ceiling panels asdefined in claim 3, fastening means located through the tongues atadjacent edge portions of the back sheet of each panel and concealed bythe grooved portions of adjacent panels.

ALVIN C. MARSH, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,374,580 Kepley et a1 Apr. 12,1921 2,256,836 Potchen Sept. 23, 1941 2,266,746 Elmendorf Dec. 23, 19412,283,582 Scherer May 19, 1942 2,295,248 Wittner Sept. 8, 1942 2,341,645Muench Feb. 15, 1944 2,342,682 Miller Feb. 29, 1944 2,426,802 WachsmanSept. 2, 1947 2,453,326 Lambert Nov. 9, 1948

